Operating mechanism for pressers



April 13, 1937. N. L. ETTEN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PRESSERS origin al File d March 8, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 drwltyfi. I

April 13, 1937..

N. L. ETTEN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PRESSERS Oqiiginal-Jiled March a. 1932 2 Sh eets-Sheet 2 Reissued Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES Re. 20,328 PATENT, OFFICE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PRESS Nicholas L. Ettcn. Waterloo, Iowa, assignor, by

mcsne assignments, to Chamberlain Corporation, a corporation of Iowa Original No. 1,941,765, dated February 20, 1934,

Serial No. 597,453, March 8, 1932.

Application for reissue October 31, 1935, Serial No. 47,668

12 Claims.

at such times when the head is actually looked in position to prevent injury to the operator.

More specifically it is the object of my invention to provide in a presser of the type above described improved latching mechanism for-locking the head in a closed position, said latch being automatically supported in an unlatched position until the head is in a closed position, and in connection therewith manually operated means for moving the latch positively to a closed position, and at the same time operating a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure to the mechanism for operating the buck.

A further object is to provide in a clothes presser' independent fluid operated means for each end of the buck, whereby uniform pressure may be applied to both ends of the buck regardless of any variation in the thickness of the goods being pressed.

A further object is to provide in a clothes presser having a fixed head member and a buck member mounted to move toward and from the head member improved fluid operated means for operating the buck to cause one end of the buck to engage the head member before the other end, and at the same time cause a longitudinal movement of the buck relative to the head as the opposite end of the buck is moved to a closed position to produce an ironing effect between the buck and said head.

My invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,.

pointed out in my claims; and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved presser,

tion, and a portion of the head frame being removed to show the construction of the latch mechanism. I

Figure 3 is it detail side elevation of the latch I employed in locking the head member to the main frame.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used thereference numeral Ill to indicate a rectangular frame formed of structural steel supported by leg members II. The lower ends of the leg members are connected by a frame member l2 on which is supported a fluid supply tank l3. having on its top surface an electric motor II to which is operatively connected a fluid pump l5 by means of a coupling I6. Said.

pump is designed to force air into the tank l3 under pressure, said air being released through a valve chamber ll secured to one end of the tank l3. Said chamber is designed to support a three way valve of ordinary construction having a stem It to which is attached an operating lever l9.

The rear end of the frame III is provided with uprights 20 to which the back side of the head frame 2| is pivotally connected by means of bolts 22, said head frame being counterbalanced by means of a spring 23 having one end connected to a rearwardly extendinglever 24 of the head frame 2|, and its'opposite end to an adjusting bolt 25 mounted in a bracket 26 secured to one of the legs II.

The front side of the frame "I is provided with upwardly extending portions 21 designed to support the forward end of the head frame 2|, said head frame terminating in downwardly extending portions 23 which rest on top of the members 21 when the head frame is in a closed position.

Each of the members 28 comprises a pair of spaced bars.

One set 'of bars 28 is designed to support a rod 23 adapted to support a pair of pivoted bell crank levers 33, said levers being spaced apart and having supported between them a latch device 3|, also pivotally mounted on the member 29. Each of the levers 30 has an upwardly extending portion 32. Pivotally secured to one of the members 23 is a link 33 somewhat shorter than the link 30 and substantially parallel therewith. A short link 34 connects the outer end of the links 30 and 33.

The other set of members 28 is provided with a pair of link members 35 similar to the members 33. The pivot 29 extends from one member 28 to the opposite member 28, as illustrated in Figure 1. A latch device 36 is also pivotally mounted on the member 23. A rod 31 connects the free ends of the members 33 and 35, said rod having an enlarged sleeve or handle member 38.

Each of thelatches 3| and 36 has a hook portion 33 designed to engage a lug 40 secured to the upright members 21 when theframefl is in its latched position. The front edge of the members 3| and 36 is provided with a curved portion ll and with a notch 42, and with a forwardly arranged slots 46 in the members 28 when the hook member 39 is beneath the member 43, and

the member 23 rests on the upper end of the corresponding member 21. The rods 45 are in the upper ends of the slots 46 and rest on the upper ends-of the members 21.

Supported between each pair of members 33 and 35 is a lug 41 designed to engage the rear portions 4| of the members 3| and 36 when the forward ends of the members 33 are at'their lower limit of movement and designed to engage the fingers 43 when the said members 33 are elevated and to cause the hook members 33 to disengage the members 43.

As soon as the forward side of the frame 2| is elevated, the rods 45 will move to the lower end of the slots 46, as clearly illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 2. and immediately behind therear end of the lug 44 in such a manner that the mem-' ber 33 will be locked to its open position of movement until after the members 23 rest firmly on the top of the members 21. Downward movement of the handle 33, which is manually operated, will cause the free ends of the members 33 and to be lowered, permitting the hook members 33 to move under the members 43 and the lugs 31 to engage the curved portions 4|, said curved edges being so arranged that downward movement of the lugs 41 will cause the hook member 33 to be forced under the lugs 43. The hook members 33 are released by simply elevating the handle member 33; The up and down movement of the free ends of the members 33 will cause the levers 33 to be operated and the upper end of the members 32 to be moved forwardly and rearwardly for the purpose of controlling a fluid controlled valve in the manner hereinafter made clear.

Secured to each end of the frame member I3 is a downwardly extending bracket 43 supporting blocks 43. Carried by eachof the blocks 43 is a' in each of the cylinders and provided with a piston rod 54 slidably mounted in openings 55 in the members 43 and 53.

Supported inside of each of the bracket members 43 is a bracket member 56, each having a slot 51. Said slots 51 are designed to slidably receive the lower end of what I shall term a pedestal 53 formed of spaced plates 53 separated by a sleeve 63 mounted on bolts 6|, said bolts serving to anchor the two plates together. Said pedestal comprises a base portion 62 and a top portion 63.- Said base portion comprises laterally extending ends between which are pivotally mounted bars 64 connected to the upper ends of the connecting rods 54. By this arrangement means is provided whereby the pedestal 53 may be elevated and lowered by elevating and lowering the pistons 53. v

Mounted on the top portion of the pedestal is a presser buck provided. with the usual padding 66 and designed to engage a head member 61 carried by the frame member 2|. The centralportion of the pedestal 53 moves through an opening 63 in the table 63. Mounted in one of the cylinders 5| is a spring 13, one end of which engages the piston 53 and the. other engages the member 53.

- Supported in the head 52 of each of the cylinders 5|, I have provided a nipple 1| making connection with a common pipe 12 which in turn is connected to the valve chamber l1 by means of a pipe 13.

Supported on one of the members 23 is a bell crank lever. 14 having one end pivotaliy connected to the upper end of an adjustable link 15,

the lower end of said link being pivotally connected to the arm I5 of the valve I3. Pivotally connecting the upper end of the member 32 and the inner end of the lever 14 is a link '16 so arranged that as the free ends of the members 33 and 35 are elevated by means of the handle 33, the upper end of the member 32 may be moved rearwardly, causing the link 16 to move rearwardly and the inner end of the members 14 to move upwardly and rearwardly and the link 15 to move downwardly, causing the valve I3 to be 'rotated to a position for cutting off liquid from the supply tank under .pressure, and for moving saidvalve to exhaust position whereby fluid will be permitted to flow from the lower ends of the cylinders 5| to said valve where it is exhausted to the atmosphere, thus permitting the buck member 65 to be lowered. Further upward movement of the handle 33 causes the members 41 to engage the fingers 43 and hooks 39 to disengage the lugs 43, after, which the frame 2| will be elevated to the dotted line position so that goods to be pressed may be placed on the buck 65, after which the frame 2| is lowered until the rods 45 engage the upper ends of the members 21, causing said rods to move upwardly in the slots 46, then permitting the hook member 33 to swing into operative position beneath the lugs 4|.

Downward movement of the handle 33 will then cause the upper end of the member 32 to move forwardly, causing the lever 23 to be elevated to the solid line position, in Figure 2, at which time fluid is admitted to the bottoms of the pistons 53. On account ofthe spring 13 it will readily be seen that the piston not provided with said spring will be elevated first, causing the corresponding end of the buck 65 to engage the head 61 as further pressure is applied. Then the opposite piston is elevated against the pressure of the spring 13, causing the corresponding end of the buck 65 to also be elevated.

In this connection, it should be observed, however, that inasmuch as the base member 62' and the members 64 are mounted a considerable distance below the head .61 and below the padding 66, that after the first piston to operate has moved to its uper limit of movement, then the pedestal 53 will swing about the pivot center of the member 64 of the corresponding piston, causing the upper end of the buck to move longitudinally of the head 61 as the second piston is operated.

thereby providing means whereby a slight ironing effect will take place at the time the pressure is being applied. I

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an improved presser having fluid operated means for operating the buck in such a manner that substantially uniform pressure is applied to both ends of the buck, even if the goods being pressed is by it is impossible to unlatch the head until said powerhasbeenremovedandthecontrolvalve placedinanexhaustposition.

What I claim h:

1. In adeviceofthe class described.thecombination of a supporting frame, a head frame having one side hinged thereto, a head carried by said head frame, means for locking the free edge of said head frame to the supporting frame, said means including a manually operated latch; a buck, fluid operated means for moving said buck toward saidhead, the last said means including a control valve, and means actuated by said latch for operating the control valve whereby said valve is opened only after the head frame is locked in a closed position, and whereby said valve is closed before said latch is released.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a head having one side hinged thereto, means for locking the other side of said head to said frame. a bucha pedestal supporting said buck having a base member extending longitudinally of said buck, fluid operated means supporting each end of said base, means for delivering fluid under pressure to said fluid operated means for elevating said buck. and yieldable means for retarding the upward movement of one 'end of said base, for the purposes stated.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a head having one side hinged thereto, means for locking the other side of said head to said frame, a buck, a pedestal supporting said buck having a base member extending longitudinally of said buck, fluid operated means supporting each end of said base, means for delivering fluid under pressure to said fluid operated means for elevating said buck, means for controlling said fluid operated means, and means actuated by said locking device for controlling the last said means.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a head having one side hinged therein, means for locking the other side of said head to said frame, said means including a latch device. manually operated'means for achiating'said latch device, a buck, fluidoperated means for elevatingeach end of said buck independently, means for delivering fluid under pressure to said fluid operated means for elevating said buck. means actuated by the movement of said latch device operating means for controlling the ilow of'fluid to and from said fluid operated means, whereby the head will be locked in position before the buck is elevated. and wherebythefluidpressureisreleased fromthe buck before said latch device is released.

ingiramaaheadcarried thereby, abuckadapted to move toward and from said head, means for imparting independent pressure to each end ,of

said buck. and yieldable means for retarding the movement of one end of said buck, for the purposes stated.

6. In a: device of the class described, a supporting frame having a mvoted head, means for latching the head in a closed position, a buck mounted to move toward and from said head, means for imparting movementto said head, means for controlling the movement of the last said means. means for operatively connecting the 'last said means'with said latch device whereby latching movement of said latch device will cause the power to be applied to said buck only afterthe latch s. lnadeviceoftheclassdescribedasupporthasbeenciosedandto becutoflbefore the latch memberis released.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a head having one edge hinged to said frame, manually operated means for latching the free edge of said head to the supporting frame, a buck, power operated .means for moving said buck toward said head,

means controlled by the latching movement of said latching means for setting into operation said power operated means and only after the head has been locked in position.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a head having one side hinged thereto. means for locking the other side of said head to said frame, a buck, a pedestal supporting said buck having a base'member extending longitudinally of said buck, means for simultaneously and independently applying upward pressure to the ends of said base member, and yieldable means for retarding the upward movement of one end of said base member.

9. A press ironing device having in combination a frame, a buck mounted on the frame, a supporting arm pivotally mounted on said frame rearward of said buck, an ironing head mounted on said supporting arm and overlying said buck, means comprising mechanism secured to the supporting arm and within the ready grasp ofthe operator for moving the ironing head toward and away from the buck and for locking same in operative position over the buck, and manually controlled fluid operated means controlled vby said mechanism for moving and locking the head, for forcing the buck against the ironing head when the latter is in its locked position.

10. A press ironing device comprising a frame, a buck mounted on the frame, a supporting arm pivotally mounted on the frame rearward of the buck, an ironing head mounted on said'supporting arm in position to overlie said buck, manually accessible means on said arm for moving the latter upon its pivot to move said head toward or away from said buck and for locking the arm in position to hold the head in position-overlying said buck, and fluid pressure meanscontrolled by movement of said manually accessiblemeans actuating said buck to'press the same against said head.

11. A press ironing device comprising a frame, a buck mounted thereon, a supporting arm pivotally mounted on the frame, an ironing head carried by said arm which is movableupon its pivot to position said head over or away from the buck, manual means on the arm for moving and locking the same with respect to the frame and buck, means for moving the buck into pressure relationship with the head and manual means on 4 said arm controlling said movement.

12. A press ironing device having in combination a frame, a buck mounted on the frame, a supporting arm pivotally mounted on said frame rearward of saidbuck, an ironing head mounted on said supporting arm and overlying said buck, ahandle carried by the supporting arm and within theready grasp of the operator for moving the ironing head toward and away from the buck, a locking mechanism operated by said handle for locking the head in operative position over the buck, and fluid operated means also controlled by said handle for forcing the buck against the ironing head when the latter is in its locked position with respect to the buck.

NICHOLAS L. E'I'I'EN. 

